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Breathe Free

Mobile app | UX Research & Design | 4 weeks

Mobile app | UX Research & Design | 4 weeks

Overview

Overview

Key Objective

Improve asthma management by giving users real-time data and personalized insights to help them stay proactive. The goal is to reduce asthma attacks by 20% within the first year and ensure 90% of users receive timely alerts about potential triggers like poor air quality and high pollen levels.

Problem

Problem

As of early 2025, asthma affects 29 million Americans, with adult cases rising 14.3% since 2021. Yet asthma management remains largely reactive, leaving many vulnerable to sudden flare-ups and environmental triggers. Without real-time insights or proactive support, users struggle to track symptoms, identify patterns, and anticipate risks—resulting in increased stress and preventable health complications.

Key Objective

Improve asthma management by giving users real-time data and personalized insights to help them stay proactive. The goal is to reduce asthma attacks by 20% within the first year and ensure 90% of users receive timely alerts about potential triggers like poor air quality and high pollen levels.

Key Objective

Improve asthma management by giving users real-time data and personalized insights to help them stay proactive. The goal is to reduce asthma attacks by 20% within the first year and ensure 90% of users receive timely alerts about potential triggers like poor air quality and high pollen levels.

Process

Process

Research

Define

Design

Test

Iterate

Research

Research Goals

  • Understand user behavior & pain points.

  • Evaluate the impact of real-time air quality insights.

  • Assess user adoption & trust in AI-powered predictions.

  • Define key features & design expectations.

Competitive Analysis

Interview Insights

I don’t always remember to check air quality, but if I got a notification telling me the air was bad today, I’d definitely pay attention.

– Participant from Minnesota

I don’t have time to research what air quality levels mean. Just tell me if it’s safe to take my kids to the park.

– Participant from Florida

Research

Research Goals

  • Understand user behavior & pain points.

  • Evaluate the impact of real-time air quality insights.

  • Assess user adoption & trust in AI-powered predictions.

  • Define key features & design expectations.

Competitive Analysis

Interview Insights

I don’t always remember to check air quality, but if I got a notification telling me the air was bad today, I’d definitely pay attention.

– Participant from Minnesota

I don’t have time to research what air quality levels mean. Just tell me if it’s safe to take my kids to the park.

– Participant from Florida

Key Findings

  • Users struggle to find and interpret real-time air quality data in a way that helps them take action.

  • People with asthma, allergies, or respiratory concerns need a more accessible and user-friendly solution.

  • Clear, personalized warnings and recommendations are essential for managing air quality risks effectively.

  • Simplicity and ease of use are critical for adoption and daily engagement.

Process

Research

Define

Design

Test

Iterate

Define

Research

Research Goals

  • Understand user behavior & pain points.

  • Evaluate the impact of real-time air quality insights.

  • Assess user adoption & trust in AI-powered predictions.

  • Define key features & design expectations.

Competitive Analysis

Information Architecture

Interview Insights

I don’t always remember to check air quality, but if I got a notification telling me the air was bad today, I’d definitely pay attention.

– Participant from Minnesota

I don’t have time to research what air quality levels mean. Just tell me if it’s safe to take my kids to the park.

– Participant from Florida

Key Findings

  • Users struggle to find and interpret real-time air quality data in a way that helps them take action.

  • People with asthma, allergies, or respiratory concerns need a more accessible and user-friendly solution.

  • Clear, personalized warnings and recommendations are essential for managing air quality risks effectively.

  • Simplicity and ease of use are critical for adoption and daily engagement.

Define

Key Findings

  • Users struggle to find and interpret real-time air quality data in a way that helps them take action.

  • People with asthma, allergies, or respiratory concerns need a more accessible and user-friendly solution.

  • Clear, personalized warnings and recommendations are essential for managing air quality risks effectively.

  • Simplicity and ease of use are critical for adoption and daily engagement.

Define

High Fidelity Designs

User Persona

Bridging Business Goals with User Needs

The goal was to empower users—especially families with asthma—to track air quality and respond effectively. I used “How Might We” framing to connect health-related anxiety with data clarity, real-time alerts, and family-friendly features. The design process remained focused on translating complex air quality metrics into simple, supportive tools for better daily decisions and user confidence.

How Might We

…provide air quality-conscious users with real-time and forecasted air quality data to help them minimize pollutant exposure and maintain their health?

...deliver real-time air quality alerts to outdoor workers so they can take immediate action to protect their respiratory health in fluctuating conditions?

…enable caregivers to monitor air quality and symptom trends for their loved ones to proactively manage asthma risks and ensure their family’s safety?

Information Architecture

Bridging Business Goals with User Needs

The goal was to empower users—especially families with asthma—to track air quality and respond effectively. I used “How Might We” framing to connect health-related anxiety with data clarity, real-time alerts, and family-friendly features. The design process remained focused on translating complex air quality metrics into simple, supportive tools for better daily decisions and user confidence.

How Might We

…provide air quality-conscious users with real-time and forecasted air quality data to help them minimize pollutant exposure and maintain their health?

...deliver real-time air quality alerts to outdoor workers so they can take immediate action to protect their respiratory health in fluctuating conditions?

…enable caregivers to monitor air quality and symptom trends for their loved ones to proactively manage asthma risks and ensure their family’s safety?

Bridging Business Goals with User Needs

The goal was to empower users—especially families with asthma—to track air quality and respond effectively. I used “How Might We” framing to connect health-related anxiety with data clarity, real-time alerts, and family-friendly features. The design process remained focused on translating complex air quality metrics into simple, supportive tools for better daily decisions and user confidence.

How Might We

…provide air quality-conscious users with real-time and forecasted air quality data to help them minimize pollutant exposure and maintain their health?

...deliver real-time air quality alerts to outdoor workers so they can take immediate action to protect their respiratory health in fluctuating conditions?

…enable caregivers to monitor air quality and symptom trends for their loved ones to proactively manage asthma risks and ensure their family’s safety?

Information Architecture

Design

Wireframing

Wireframing

Wireframing

Branding | UI Kit

High Fidelity Designs

High Fidelity Designs

The interactive slider for choosing air quality levels is easy to use, but it feels overly sensitive and doesn't clearly show the selected value.

– Participant from Ukraine

The AQI scale looks good, but it's very similar to the adjustable scale on the settings page.

– Participant from Seattle

In the pollutant cards on the dashboard, I really just want to quickly see if the air quality is good or bad. Simplifying this information into clear status indicators would help me understand the air quality at a glance.

– Participant from New York

Test

Usability Feedback

Usability Feedback

The interactive slider for choosing air quality levels is easy to use, but it feels overly sensitive and doesn't clearly show the selected value.

– Participant from Ukraine

The AQI scale looks good, but it's very similar to the adjustable scale on the settings page.

– Participant from Seattle

In the pollutant cards on the dashboard, I really just want to quickly see if the air quality is good or bad. Simplifying this information into clear status indicators would help me understand the air quality at a glance.

– Participant from New York

The interactive slider for choosing air quality levels is easy to use, but it feels overly sensitive and doesn't clearly show the selected value.

– Participant from Ukraine

The AQI scale looks good, but it's very similar to the adjustable scale on the settings page.

– Participant from Seattle

In the pollutant cards on the dashboard, I really just want to quickly see if the air quality is good or bad. Simplifying this information into clear status indicators would help me understand the air quality at a glance.

– Participant from New York

Before

After

1

2

3

  1. Restructured user information to prioritize main content.

  1. Established a consistent color scale across all pollutant categories for improved clarity and usability.

  1. Removed excess card detail for improved readability and quicker scanning.

Iterate

1

2

3

  1. Refined pollutants limit scale for better intuitiveness.

  1. Eliminated ambiguous color coding for improved clarity.

  1. Simplified categories to Good, Moderate, High, & Unhealthy

Before

After

Initial usability testing showed that users found the concept intuitive, but struggled with visual overload, unclear labels, and inconsistent color indicators. To address this, I refined the visual hierarchy, simplified UI elements, and clarified air quality category language—reducing cognitive friction and making it easier for users to quickly scan and interpret health-critical information with confidence.

Initial usability testing showed that users found the concept intuitive, but struggled with visual overload, unclear labels, and inconsistent color indicators. To address this, I refined the visual hierarchy, simplified UI elements, and clarified air quality category language—reducing cognitive friction and making it easier for users to quickly scan and interpret health-critical information with confidence.

1

2

3

  1. Restructured user information to prioritize main content.

  1. Established a consistent color scale across all pollutant categories for improved clarity and usability.

  1. Removed excess card detail for improved readability and quicker scanning.

Before

After

1

2

3

  1. Restructured user information to prioritize main content.

  1. Established a consistent color scale across all pollutant categories for improved clarity and usability.

  1. Removed excess card detail for improved readability and quicker scanning.

1

2

3

  1. Refined pollutants limit scale for better intuitiveness.

  1. Eliminated ambiguous color coding for improved clarity.

  1. Simplified categories to Good, Moderate, High, & Unhealthy

Before

After

1

2

3

  1. Refined pollutants limit scale for better intuitiveness.

  1. Eliminated ambiguous color coding for improved clarity.

  1. Simplified categories to Good, Moderate, High, & Unhealthy

Solution

The Airlite App empowers individuals with asthma and air quality concerns to stay ahead of symptoms through real-time insights, personalized alerts, and customizable thresholds for pollen and air quality. With intuitive navigation and clear resources, it helps users make informed decisions and manage their respiratory health with confidence.